Device for facilitating the coupling of pipes



J. ZIMMERMAN DEVICEl FOR FACILITATING THE COUPLINGOF PIPES March 26,1929.

Filed Aug. 6, 1928 h i v GttorncgS Patented Mar. 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH vZIMMERMAN, OF SAN ANTONIO,y TEXAS.

'DEVICE FOR IEACILITA'IINGv THEk COUPLING OF IEIPES.

Apucation mea 'AugustY e, 1928. Aserial Ng.` 297,680.

This invention relates to pipe coupling devices and more particularly to such devices by means of which an additional length of pipe may be connected to a gas or water main without the necessity of shutting 0H any part of the main from communication with the source of gas or water supply to which the main is connected. Y

It is usual to provide the end of such'mains farthest from the source of supply, 'or in other words the outer end, with a closure consisting of a pipe coupling threaded at one of its ends to the outside of the pipe and a plug threaded to the inside ofthe other end of the coupling. When it has been desired to prolong the main pipe line by the addition of one or more lengths of pipe, it has been rfirst necessary to shut oit the outer end of the main from communication With the source of supply by means of 'a valve situated between the outer end and said source, after which the plug may be removed from'the colvipling at the outer end of the main and the desiredv number of additional lengths of pipe attached gtol the main. It has been necessary to shut off the main in this manner in orderl to prevent gas or water, as the case may be, from escaping` from the open outer end of the main during` the process of attaching the additional length or lengths of pipe. Quite frequently the valve controlling communication ofthe y main with the source of supply is-loeated at some distance from the outer end ofthe main and when this valve is closed all pipe lines extending laterally from the main and receiving their supply of gas or VWater therefrom are thereby shut off from communication with the source of supply. This of course is objectionable in all cases and'espeeially so when the later-als extend into private houses, being in such cases not only inconvenient but also dangerous, for in the case of gas pipes the shutting olf of the gas supply will result in putting out the pilot lights on gas stoves, heaters or the like. Under such circumstances, when the addition tothe main line has beeneompleted and the gas turnedvon, the gas will escape from the pilot light burners without being burned, in time filling the room or rooms in to which itescapesand possibly resulting in an explosion or in asphyxiation of the occupants 'of the room or rooms.l

The present invention has forits object the overcoming of'these diieultiesthrough invention will be clearly understood byfollowing the description, the appended claims.

and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l 1s a plan view of the pipe coupling,

'device in operative relationship with a main pipe line and an extension therefor,

Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof,

Figure is a sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4vis a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1,-and

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the socket wrench which tits over the. plug.

In the drawings there is shown Vtliepipe coupling device embodying my invention. A main pipe A is closed at its outerend by means of a pipe coupling B and a plug C, as shown in Figure 3, and an additional length of pipe D is in position preparatory'to being connected to the main pipe A. Thereis provided a split casing E comprising an upper half 1 and a lower halfQ, which are secured together-by means of bolts 3 and clamping nuts 4. The ends of the casing halves 1 and 2 are conjointly formed with alined bores 5, at

the inner ends of which are inwardly extending flanges 6, these flanges having an inside diameter' slightly vgreater than the outside diameter' of the pipes A and D. Felt or other suitable packing 7 is fitted into the bores 5 and is held against the flanges G by means of split packing glands 8, which may be drawn in against the packing by means of winged clamping nuts'9 and threaded studs 9L which are secured to the casing. The split packing glands 8 `have an inside diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of the pipes A and D, and being split may be positioned inthe bores 5 `after the casing E has been placed on the pipes A and D. Since the casing E is held from movement relative to the 'pipes A and D only by the friction of the packing 7, the easing may be rotated about the pipes or moved longitudinally thereof.r

A A socket wrench 10 provided with a centrai polygonal opening 11 is adapted telit center et the casing` E.

over a non-circular projection on the plug` C disposed exteriora-lly ot the pipe A and has a plurality olf peripheral recesses 12, wnici recesses are spaced to iforin pairs ol' diametrically opposite recesses.

Threadably mounted at diainetrieally opposite points in each of the split casing halves 1 and 2 are sleeves 18 in which are threaded steine 14, which stems are in alineinent one with the other and extend 'adially trein the @n the outer end ot each stein is a hand wheel 15 which `facilitates the turning et the stein, by which turning,- the stein is caused to nieve inwardly or outwardly as may be desired.

Each ot the casing` Vhalves is further provided with an opening` 16 into which is threaded an inspection plug 17. These plugs are each provided with a threaded bore 1S and with an inwardly extending flange 1). A transparent dish 20, preferably et nlass, lits into each bore 18, is seperated from the flange 19 by a rubber gasket 21, and is held against this gasket by means oli a round nut 22 threadedinto the bore 18, a secon-d rubber gasket being` interposed between the transparent dish and the nut., thus providingl a pressure tight joint between the plug and the disk.

When it is desired to connect the additional length ot pipe D to the inain pipe A, it is lirst necessary to position the 'pipe D approximately in alineinentwith the pipe A and at a short distance therefrom, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The outer end of pipe D is of course atthis time closed by means of a couplingv and a plug similar to the couplingl B and the plug` C now closing the end olf the pipe line A. The plugl C is then slightly loosened within the coupling i3. rlhe two split casing halves are placed over the pipes A and D and positioned so that the ends of both pipes lie within the chamber termed by tl e casing, the casing halves being' then tightly clamped together by means ot the clamping;l nuts Vfl. 'llie packing 7 is then inserted in the bores 5 and the split packing glands 8 positioned in said bores and drawn against the packing` by ineans et the winged nuts 9.

One ot the inspection plugs 17 inthe casing lll is removed and the socket wrench 10 placed over the angular projection C ot the plugl C. The casing is then movedto a position in which the stems 1st will lie in the saine transverse planeas the centers of the recesses 12 in the socket wrench 10. The casing is then turned about the pipes as an axis until a pair ot the recesses 12 register with the stems 1-1, the stems being then screwed inwardly until their ends enter said pair of recesses.

It is now desired to remove the plug C and connect the pipe D to the pipe A. The inspection plug 17 is replaced and the casboth tall onto the casing,l EQ

ing E thereby forms a pressure tight seal about the ends oi the pipes A and D which plug C to be rotated with the coupling` l3.

The direction of rotation is of course that which will unscrew the plug C. TWhile the casing is being` thus rotated the operator will look through the inspection plug` 17 and be thereby enabled to determine how tar the plug C has become unscrewet. ann whether or not the stems 14 and the socket wrench 10 are remaining in their proper operative relationship to the plug C. As the plug unscrews it will be necessary to move the casing E longitudinally ol the pipes and in the direction in which the plug is moving' in order that the stems 14 will stay in engagement with the socliet wrench 1.0. l/Vhen the plug)l C has in this way been completely unscrcwed it may drop outlet' the wrench 10 vand tall onto the casing E, or, in the event that the plug sticks in the wrench, the stems 11i are screwed outwardly so that they dis` engage the recesses in the socket wrench, at which time the wrench and coupling4 will j Gas from the main pipe line A will new enter the casingl E and the pipe D. It is to be noted that this causes no drop in the pressurey existing' in the system, nor does it all'ect the conditions in the system in any other way'. rlhe pipe D is'then moved towards the center of the casing and screwed into the coupling B, it being possible to make the connection easily since the inspection plugs 17 allow the operator to see jiist what he is doing.

lt is obvious that it the additional length oit pipe D he relatively short and straight so as to be conveniently rotatable it will not be necessary for the casing to rotate with respect to this pipe. ln other words, the pipe inay be rotated with the casing or may be held stationary and the casing` caused to rotate with resgect thereto 'according to which procedure is the more convenient in any particularcase. l

The pipe' D now having' been joined' to the main pipe A, the packingl glands 8 are removed and the casing' halves 1 and 2 uiibolted and likewise ieinoved. Oli course the sinall amount oli' gas which was contained in the chamber of the casing,l lll durinfir the process oil connecting the twoL pipes will escape upon the opening` ot' the` easing', but thisis negligible in amount.

It is apparent that I haveprovided a pipe coupling device which accomplishes the objects set forth above and which is light, ot simple and inexpensive construction, and which requires little skill' for its elicient operation. The inspection plugs afford sealed lll) sight openings and make it possible for the operator to unscrew the plug With ease; and to then connect the tWo pipes together Without the diiiiculty of crossing threads and obtaining a resultingly poor connection.v By the use of my device it is possible to add an extension to any pipe line in a fluid distributing system Without in any Way altering the conditions throughout the system.

While I have shown one embodiment of my invention, it isof course to be understood that the details of structure and arrangement of parts may be variously changed and modified without departingr from `the spirit and scope of my invention. j

I claim:

l. A device for facilitating the coupling of pipes comprising a casing formed to surround and enclose the spaced adjacent end portions of a pair of alined pipes; and means to mount said casing in substantially fluid tight relation on the end portions of said pipes While permitting relative rotary movenient between the casing and one of the pipes; in combination With means connected to the casing and adapted to engage a rotary closure means for the enclosed end portion of one of said pipes and operative by rotation of the casing to detach the pipe closure.

2. A device for facilitating the coupling of pipes comprising a casing formed to surround and enclose the spaced adjacent end portions of a pair of alined pipes; and means adapted to mount said casing inv substantially fluid tight relation on the end portions of said pines while permitting relative rotary movement between the casing and 'one of theY pipes and axial movement of at least one of the pipes; in combination with means connected tothe easing and adapted to engage a rotary closure means for the enclosed end portion of one of said. pipes and operative by vrotation of the casing to detach the'pipe closure.

8. A device for facilitating the coupling of pipes comprising a casing formed to surround and enclose the spaced adjacent end portions of a pairof aliiied pipes; and means adapted to mount said casing in substantially fluid tight relation on theend portions of said pipes while permitting relative rotary movement between the casing and one of the pipes; in combination with means connected to the casing and adapted to engage a threaded plug closing the enclosed end of `with a wrench fitting over said non-circular projection; and means connected to the casing and adapted to engage said. Wrench and operative by rotation of the casing to unscreW said plug.

5. A device for facilitating the coupling of pipes comprising a casing formed to surround and enclose the spaced adjacent end portions of a pair of alined pipes;ithe enclosed end of one of said pipes being provided with a threaded closuie plug having a non-circular projection exterior of said pipe; and means yadapted to .mount said casing in substantially fluid tight relation on the pipes, While permitting relative rotary movement between the' casing and one of the pipes; in combination with a Wrench fitting over said non-circular projection; and a stem carried by said casing and movable radially thereof for engagement with said Wrench, and operative by the rotation of said casing to unscreW the plug.

6. A device for facilitating the coupling of pipes comprising a casing formed to surround and enclose the spaced adjacent end portions of a pair of alined pipes; the enclosed end ofy one of said pipes being provided with a threaded closure plug having a noncircular projection exterior of said pipe; andmeans adapted to mount said casing in substantially fiuid tight relation on the pipes; while permitting relative rotary movement between the rcasing and one of the pipes and axial movement of atleast one of the pipes; in combination with a wrench fitting over said non-circular projection; and a stem cai'- ried by said casing` and movable radially thereof for engageinentivitli said Wrench, and operative by the rotation of said casing to unscrew the plug.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subl scribed my name.

JOSEPH ZlMMERMAN. 

